Not only the grueling theater around Robert Lewandowski runs through the summer. In the shadow of the long-simmering debate about the future of the FC Bayern striker and his longing for Barcelona, Bundesliga managers are complaining about a sluggish transfer market.
Was it mockery? Or rather helplessness? Fredi Bobic was definitely surprised. "The southerners," complained the managing director of Hertha BSC, who was praised as a clever buyer and seller, "are still asleep". Bobic complained that he could not yet fulfill his task of completely renewing the Berlin XXL squad due to the early summer phlegm of the Spaniards, Italians and French. "You call one or the other colleague and he's still on vacation, somewhere on the beach and doesn't feel like talking about football," said Bobic - and he's not the only one with this concern.
The Bundesliga complains about a transfer backlog. Regardless of the glamor personality Robert Lewandowski and his longing for Barcelona, which accompanied FC Bayern Munich through the summer break - and which has now found a happy ending for everyone with the impending change of goal scorer. The usual team photos are taken in wide-angle format. Dozens of players are crowded together at many clubs. At the beginning of the season or at the latest after the end of the transfer window on September 1, the pictures will have more anecdotal value, as many professionals have found accommodation with other clubs. But at what price?
"I didn't expect offers to come in at this point," said sporting director Sven Mislintat from VfB Stuttgart. The Swabians also want to reduce their squad and need patience. In the training camp in the Allgäu they are with more than 30 players. Hertha took 34 players to Burton-upon-Trent in England, just as many as local rivals Union Berlin to Austria, although managing director Oliver Ruhnert is known as an excellent early summer shopper.
"If you look at how the market is working at the moment, the English, for example, are missing almost all their money. They spend a lot, but only in their own circulation and hardly externally," said Mislintat. That's not how business works in the Bundesliga. National transfers take place at most on the cheap level in the lower leagues. The proceeds that are necessary after the hard Corona times for equally important new acquisitions cannot be made in this way. The cycle is not yet in motion.
"That's coal that is missing in the other leagues to start processes and trigger that first domino, which then causes subsequent transfers," said Mislintat, who has three potential moneymakers to offer in Sasa Kalajdzic, Borna Sosa and Orel Mangala . Concrete offers: None. Bobic would give up big earners like Krzysztof Piatek, Lucas Tousart or Deyovaisio Zeefuik. Potential buyers are waiting. The price could fall. Borussia Dortmund also has some players in the squad that should definitely be given up, such as the big earners Manuel Akanji and, even more urgently, Nico Schulz. Thorgan Hazard is also considered a prank candidate, as are Dan-Axel Zagadou and Felix Passlack.
RB Leipzig also started with a huge squad because loan professionals came back. Coach Domenico Tedesco still finds the situation acceptable. "Healthy competition within the team is good, but in my opinion it's enough to have two people in one position," said Tedesco at the training camp. The personnel cut to the ideal size of around 26 professionals must come with the Saxons when the league is running – that is the wishful thinking of the RB coach. At VfL Wolfsburg, the new coach Niko Kovac also wants to sort things out.
The sluggish transfer summer provides bizarre side stories. In Berlin, various Twitter users are flooding the rumor market incognito with news that they believe to be 100 percent reliable. Several Hertha professionals have already been transferred to Turkey, and some new purchases have been spotted in Berlin. So far, almost nothing has worked out. In any case, it is unusual: Mitchell Weiser could leave for Bayer Leverkusen on a free transfer, but according to media reports he only wants to do so with a financial discount. "Of course he has a better contract here than he might get in Bremen. But he knows that he can leave for free. So he has to decide between a sporting perspective and a contract," explained managing director Simon Rolfes in the "Kölner Stadt- Indicator".
In Hanover, the Danish 96 goalkeeper Martin Hansen complained about his club. "They are trying to push me out," the 32-year-old told Danish newspaper "Tipsbladet" and received support from ex-colleagues like Marvin Ducksch and Marvin Bakalorz. Want to stay, but should go: The problem also exists on the big stage. Holland star Frenkie de Jong feels comfortable at FC Barcelona. But the club needs money (also for Lewandowski) and is working on a mega transfer to Manchester United. Whether de Jong is allowed on the Catalans' USA tour becomes a transfer Gretchen question.
Bobic promised that nobody would be kicked at Hertha. Trainer Sandro Schwarz also rejected a special training group for his rest ramp. Bobic is expecting activity in the transfer business soon. "At the end of July everyone suddenly noticed that the season was about to start. Then there was great panic," he said.
